FILE - At left, in a June 26, 2015, file photo, Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, in St. Louis. At right, in an Aug. 17, 2015, file photo, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in a baseball game, in Pittsburgh. The two aces _ Cole, a former No. 1 pick and Arrieta a 29-year-old who has found his stuff with the Cubs _ face off in the NL wild card game on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. (AP Photo/File)
(AP)

Tuesday night the Astros sent AL Cy Young favorite Dallas Keuchel to the mound. He responded by hurling six innings of shutout baseball.

Wednesday night the Cubs send NL Cy Young contender Jake Arrieta to the hill. A few things to know. If Arrieta were in the AL, the Cy Young award would not even need to be announced.

Arrieta just completed one of the best single seasons of starting pitching in recent memory. He led the majors in wins with 22, he was second in ERA with an amazing 1.77, and he struck out 236 batters.

As impressive as his overall numbers are, his numbers since the All-Star break are even better.

Arrieta is 12-1 with an ERA of 0.75 since the break. He's basically been lights-out every time he takes the mound.

In five starts against the Pirates this season Arrieta was 3-1 with an ERA of 0.75. If familiarity truly does breed contempt, then the Pirates must really hate Arrieta.

Arrieta's eye-popping numbers might be enough to make one think this game is foregone conclusion. That is until you consider the guy the Pirates are sending to the mound.

Gerrit Cole just completed a Cy Young caliber season. He was 19-8 with an ERA of 2.60 and 202 strikeouts. Against the Cubs Cole was 2-1 with an ERA of 2.13.

It is absurd to think that a starter with Cole's resume and statistical performance could be considered an underdog, but that's the case in this wild card matchup.

Edge: Cubs

Starting Lineup:

As far as team stats go, this looks pretty darn even. As a team the Pirates slashed .260/.323/.396 for the season. The Cubs slashed .244/.321/.398, a lower batting average and an identical ops.

The Pirates stole 98 bases, the Cubs stole 95.

Both teams have one primary MVP-caliber hitter. The Cubs have Anthony Rizzo who slashed .278/.387/.488 with 31 home runs and 101 RBI's. The Pirates counter with Andrew McCutchen who slashed .292/.401/.488 with 23 home runs, 96 RBI's and 11 stolen bases.

The Cubs have a power advantage. Chicago was fifth in the NL in home runs with 171. The Pirates finished tenth with 140 long balls. Chicago hit 92 of their 171 home runs at home, tonight's game is on the road, which slightly negates the Cubs power advantage.

That slight power advantage is key. Neither team can count on the opposing starting pitcher making too many mistakes. Chicago is more likely to make Cole pay for a mistake by sending that pitch over the fences.

Edge: Cubs

Fielding:

The Cubs have rookies at third base (Kris Bryant) and shortstop (Addison Russell). They've got a second baseman who recently switched positions in Starlin Castro. The team has lots of youth and athleticism, but they're not the Pirates.

The Pirates have more experience and home field and those two factors give Pittsburgh a slight edge here.

Edge: Pirates

Bullpen:

Arrieta tied for the league lead in both complete games (four) and shutouts (three). One has to wonder whether or not the bullpen will even be a factor for the Cubs.

Gerrit Cole didn't have a complete game this season. Barring something unusual the Pirates will be using their bullpen tonight.

That's okay, in fact that's probably a good thing. No team in the majors had a better bullpen than the Pirates this year. Led by Mark Melancon and his league-leading 51 saves, the Pirates have a bullpen that manager Clint Hurdle does not hesitate to use.

If the Pirates manage to somehow score of Arrieta they'll be eager to hand that lead off to their bullpen.

Edge: Pirates

Manager:

Tonight's wild card matchup is epic for several reasons. How often do a 97-win team and a 98-win team face off in a wild card matchup? These two teams win every other division in baseball, except of course for their own NL Central.

Pittsburgh has Clint Hurdle. Hurdle won the 2013 NL Manager of the Year award. He's took the Colorado Rockies to the World Series in 2007, he's got a postseason win-loss record of 10-8.

Joe Maddon manages the Cubs. Up until this season, Maddon had never managed a National League team. The bulk of his experience and success came as manager of the small-market Tampa Bay Rays.

He took the Rays to the World Series in 2008. He won the AL Manager of the Year award in both 2008 and 2011. His postseason record is 13-17. That might seem unimpressive, but consider that he spent nine seasons managing the Tampa Rays and somehow managed to get his teams into 30 postseason games.

Joe Maddon might not be used to being a favorite, but odds are he'll make the adjustment seamlessly.

Edge: Cubs

Bench:

Cole Hamels, David Price, Johnny Cueto, and Yoenis Cespedes. There are a few of the big-name major leaguers who were dealt prior to the July 31 trade deadline.

Michael Morse, Travis Snyder, and Aramis Ramirez. These are three not-so-big-name players who the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired or in Snyder's case signed this past summer.

They give the Pirates a bench that has both postseason experience and fences-clearing power. Ramirez has actually become a starter, but Morse and Snyder join Josh Harrison and Sean Rodriguez to give Hurdle the type of versatile bench most National League squads want to have.

The Cubs bench has feast or famine free swinging youngsters such as Jorge Soler and Javier Baez. There's speed in the form of Quentin Berry, and some versatility with outfielder Austin Jackson who will probably not start with right-handed Cole on the mound for the Pirates. Backup catcher David Ross needs no introduction, the longtime veteran was a key part of the 2013 Boston Red Sox World Series Champions squad.

Edge: Pirates

Experience:

Starting pitcher Jon Lester (who is unlikely to see any playing time tonight) and David Ross, both have postseason pedigrees. Joe Maddon has lots of experience in the postseason, but not as manager of the Cubs, or as the skipper of National League squad. Quentin Berry has some postseason experience as well.

Other than that, the Cubs team is fairly green when it comes to the playoffs.

The Pirates are a different story. This is the team's third straight trip to the postseason. There are lots of players who have been on the team the last two seasons. Michael Morse won a World Series ring with the San Francisco Giants last year.

Edge: Pirates

Prediction: Cubs Win

Chicago is on an eight game winning streak. They've got the guy who has been the best starting pitcher on the planet over the last three months on the mound. Gerrit Cole is likely to be very tough to hit, but not tough enough.